Ice-crusher.



B. c. MILLER.

ICE CRUSHER.

APPLICATION TILED AUG.20, 1910.

1 ,048, 332 Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

E. C. MILLER.

ICE GRUSHER.

APPLIUA'II'ION FILED AUG. 20, 1910. 1,048,332. Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. UNITED STATES PATEN :1? OFFICE.

EDW'iN 0. man, or sums, omo.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Batented Dec. 24, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I Enwm C. MILLER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Sabina, in-the county of Clinton and State of Ohio,have invented new and useful Improvements in Ice-Crushers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to ice crushers of that class in which toothedrollers are employed to exercise a crushing action upon a piece or lumpof ice supported in a suitable casing for the purpose of reducing'thesame to lumps of smaller dimensions without shaving or powdering thesame, the special purpose being to supply crushed ice to be used forcooling drinks, the same pre sentinga pleasing and desirable appearanceand being less liable to melt rapidly than shaved or powdered ice.

The invention has for its object to simplify and improve theconstruction of the crushing apparatus, to provide means whereby one ofthe crushing rollers may be adjusted to re late the size of the productand to provide a casing of simple and improved construction Wl'llCllshall be equipped with an outlet spout beneath which a glass receptaclemay be placed to receive the crushed ice.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of partswhich will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claim.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrateda simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of theclaim may be resorted to when desired.

- In the drawings,Figure 1 is a pers ective view of an ice crusherconstruete in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan viewof the same with the upper portion of the casing removed. Fi 3 is asectional detail view taken on the hue 3 -3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is avertical sectional view of the machine showing the parts assembled.

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view showing the lid or cover inverted.Corresponding parts in the several figures I are denoted by likecharacters of reference.

cent to its upper edge with flanges 2 and.

upstanding lugs 3 to confine the lower end o a casm 4 which, whenmounted in position, may e secured by a spring latch member 5 engaging alug 6 adjacent to one side of the lower end of the casing; the oppositeside of the casing being provided with s urs 7 to engage apertures 8 inthe upstan ing lugs 3, thus enabling the parts to be securely connectedtogether when assembled, but in such a manner as to permit the saidparts to be readily disassembled when required. The hopper A is providedat its upper edge, adjacent to its front and rear ends, with stationaryboxes or bearings 9 wherein a shaft 10 carrying a crushing roller 11 issupported for rotation. Adjacent to the stationary boxes 9 are slidableor movable boves 12 for the adjustment of which"any suitable means maybe provided, such as screws 13 operating in threaded sockets in theboxes, said screws being swiveled in the casing and provided withhandles 14, whereby they maybe conveniently turned to effect the desiredad- 'ustment of the boxes. The boxes 12 afiord earings for a shaft 15carrying a crushing roller 16.

The shafts 10 and 15 may be made im tegral with the rollers 11 and 16,and they OO are equipped with intermeshing cog wheels 17, 18, the teethof which are of sufficient length to intermesh at various adjustments ofthe boxes or bearings 12 in which the shaft 15 is supported. One of theshafts is also provided with a pinion 19 meshing with a spur wheel 20which is supported for rotation upon a gudgeon 21 extending from thehopper, said spur wheel being provided with a crank handle 22 whereby itmay be conveniently rotated for the purpose of. actuating the shaftscarrying the crushing rollers.

The crushing rollers, which may be appropriately made of cast iron, areprovided with radially extending teeth 23 which are arranged in such amanner as to break joint or intermesh w! h each other, as shown, therebyseizing upon a lump or lumps of ice supported above said rollers andbreaking therefrom pieces which are subsequently fragments of thedesired size which may be regulated as herein described by properadjustment of the bearings whereln one of the rollers is supported forrotation.

The casing 4 which is supported upon the hopper is made to fit snuglywithin the up-. standing flange 2, the front and rear ends of saidcasing being slightly recessed at 31 to make room for the adjustablebearings 12. Said movable or adjustable bearings are thus guided betweenthe upper edge of the hopper 1 and the lower edge of the caslng mostcoil of which is provided with cross bars 27 constituting a frame whichis adapted to press downwardly against the contents of the casing.

In the operation of this device, by removing the lid or cover 25, thecasing may be filled with ice, one or more lumps of which may be placedwithin the casing. The cover is then placed in position, and the frameat the lower end of the coiled spring will engage and press downwardlyagainst the ice which is thus forced in the direction of the crushingrollers. When crushed ice is desired, a glass or other receptacle 28 isplaced beneath the discharge spout, and the crushing rollers are thenrotated by means of the crank or handle 22, thus reducing the ice tofragments of the desired size which are discharged into the glass orreceptacle. It will be particularly noticed that the fragments are notin any sense reduced to shavings or to powder which would melt veryrapidly, but all said fragments on the contrary will be in the shape ofsmall lumps presenting a very pleasing and attractive appearance whenused in the manufacture of cooling drinks or for other purposes.

The hopper of the improved device is preferably provided with legs orsupport ing members 29, and it may be, in practice, mounted upon asuitable base, as indicated at 30. This improved device may be utilizedon a larger scale for the purpose of crushing ice for use in themanufacture of ice cream and for similar purposes. The device may alsobe used for crushing or comminuting other substances than ice. When thusused, additional rollers may be employed for the .purpose of increasingthe capacity of the machine.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

In a device of the character described, a hopper having upstandingflanges, roller carrying bearings supported upon the upper edge of thehopper adjacent to and within the upstanding flanges, a casing mountedupon the hopper within the flange, said casing being recessed to permitadjustment of the roller carrying bearings, means for securing thecasing in position, and means for adjusting the roller carryingbearings.

In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN o. MILLER.

. Witnesses:

T. E. Moon, GEO M. PLYMIRE.

